


Old Wounds

by mythicait



Series: Rox Oneshots [3]
Category: Throne of Glass Series - Sarah J. Maas
Genre: Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Love Confessions, M/M, Secret Relationship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-27
Updated: 2019-08-27
Packaged: 2020-09-27 23:36:45
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 700
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20416184
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mythicait/pseuds/mythicait
Summary: Tumblr prompt from WerewolfPrince: “Apparently all our friends have a bet going that we end up together.” - Rox prompt





	Old Wounds

**Author's Note:**

  * For [WerewolfPrince](https://archiveofourown.org/users/WerewolfPrince/gifts).

“Apparently, all of our friends have a bet going that we’ll end up together.”

Rowan flinched like he’d been poked with a hot iron and his head jerked up so he could stare at Nox. 

“W-what?”

Gods but he loved surprising this silver-haired man. Nox let a sly smile creep across his face as he watched a blush start to suffuse Rowan’s face. Inching closer to him, Nox rested his chin on his hand and turned so that Rowan was his main focus. 

“You heard me. Our friends think we’re going to start dating eventually.”

Looking back at the table in front of him, Rowan pushed down his blush. “Nox-”

“Are you going to listen to me now?” He wouldn’t let his frustration bleed into his voice, he wouldn’t. He might be a dumbass but Rowan had just as much a right to make this choice as Nox did. “We didn’t tell anyone because you thought it would hurt Aelin, but she’s the one leading the damn bet, Rowan. It’s going to hurt her more if we wait to tell her.” 

Rowan didn’t say anything. Normally, Nox would kiss this kind of mood out of him but they needed to talk about this. He opened his mouth to ask again but his jaw snapped shut when Aelin plopped herself down across the table. 

Attempting to subtly shift away from where he had almost been touching Rowan, Nox nodded to the blonde. “Hey, Aelin, how-”

“You can cut the bullshit, Nox.” Aelin had her shit-eating grin on and he felt his stomach drop to the floor. 

“You’re going to have to be more specific, A.” 

“You’ve always been pretty decent at hiding things, Nox. It’s part of the reason we’re best friends; you understand me.” A dramatic sigh before Aelin shifted her gaze to the very silent man beside him. If Rowan didn’t know what was coming before, he did now. “Rowan on the other hand… has never been able to hide anything from me.”

“Aelin-”

Her voice was gentle when she interrupted Rowan. “Ro. We broke up three years ago. We’ve been best friends for a lot longer.” She hesitated for a second before she went on. “You can’t use me as an excuse to avoid something real, Rowan.” 

It broke his heart that Rowan wouldn’t look at him. Like he was scared to look at him. 

Aelin slapped her hands on the table, making both men jump, as she stood. 

Raising an eyebrow, Nox asked her, “So you just blew in to proclaim some wisdom and now you’re just going to leave?”

“Well, of course, that’s why you keep me around.” Aelin turned to leave but she stopped and shot them a mischievous smile over her shoulder. “By the way, I’ve known for a while. I wouldn’t start a bet I would lose.” 

Nox was banging his head on the table when she left, cursing himself for befriending the she-devil in the first place. 

After a few more minutes of silence, he gathered the courage to look up at Rowan. He had his face buried in his hands and Nox sighed. Reaching out, he tugged on Rowan’s arms until he dropped them and Nox could thread their fingers together. There was silver lining Rowan’s pine green eyes. “Scared, huh? Because of Lyria?”

The grip on his hands tightened. “I lost her, Nox, and it nearly broke me. How- how can I let myself love someone else? If you died, I don’t… I don’t think I would come back from that, Nox.” 

Nox untangled their hands to he could cup Rowan’s face between them. “Look at me, Rowan Whitethorn.” He waited until those bright green eyes were focused on him and only him. “I’m not going anywhere. You’re going to have to put up with my troublemaking ass for a long time. Got it?”

From the broken smile Rowan threw at him, Nox knew he was going to be okay. It would take time and patience and love, but he would be okay. Nox wouldn’t accept any other outcome. 

“I love you, Nox. Even though it scares me.”

Nox leaned in to kiss him, quick and fierce. “You fucking better.”

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you reading, giving kudos, and especially if you comment since it fuels my brain!
> 
> Come see me on tumblr @myfeyrelady, where I generally post faster and will write reqs!


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